There is little doubt that rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common of all crippling, long-term diseases. Although it usually affects the smaller joints particularly those of the hands, wrists and feet - it can also be present in the joints of the spine. However, the spine is usually the last part of the body to be attacked and by then other joints will probably be affected. The neck is usually the first part of the spine to be involved.

The initial symptoms are usually pain, tenderness, swelling and stiffness of the joints. These symptoms which can arrive quite suddenly or which may develop slowly over a long period of time, are nearly always worse first thing in the morning.

Many joints can get rheumatoid arthritis and sufferers who have the disease badly may complain that their whole bodies hurt. The pain and aching is often also accompanied by a general feeling of tiredness, listlessness and of being run down. The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are unusual in that they may sometimes disappear for months or years almost completely without any warning - though, sadly, they usually do come back again in the end.

The basic cause of rheumatoid arthritis is still a mystery. One theory is that the disease is caused by a virus, another that it is caused by a flaw in the body's own defense mechanism against infection. It is also generally believed that stress in its many different forms makes rheumatoid arthritis worse.